FROM APPLETELL – Apple has officially released iPhone OS 3.0. The software upgrade is available through iTunes for free for iPhone owners, and $9.95 for owners of the iPod touch.
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Section: Gaming News, Originals, Features, Nostalgia, Opinions, Consoles, Wii, Handhelds, DS, Updates, Wii-Virtual-Console, Web-Sites

It’s another insanely eclectic week on Nintendo’s downloadable game services. WiiWare is boasting a new Sega game,? fighting kitchen appliances and rainbow islands, DSiWare has your ripoff clock and calculator needs covered, and the excellent Arcade version of Space Harrier wraps up the pickings. Personally, I’m all for the toaster, the catching and the Harrier. Nintendo adds to it’s virtual game stores each Monday at 9 AM Pacific, and Wii points may be purchased at a rate of $1=100.

WiiWare

Eduardo the Samurai Toaster
Publisher: Semnat Studios
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Cartoon Violence
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: Fight your way through 13 diverse locations on your own or with up to three friends in this frenetic and stylish side-scrolling action game. Play as Eduardo and his fellow toaster buddies as you fire an assortment of pastries at all kinds of dastardly food products. Hop onto laser-mounted scooters and fly across the screen in rocket packs, and learn to cooperate with your teammates or simply annoy each other in an awesomely fun way by throwing each other around the screen. The choice is up to you.

RAINBOW ISLANDS: TOWERING ADVENTURE!
Publisher: TAITO
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: In Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure!, players control the rainbow-magic-wielding Bubby or Bobby as they climb the seven seamless areas of a tower reaching the heavens while defeating enemies with their rainbow powers. Bosses controlled by the scientific genius Dr. Crescent await players at the end of every area. Race through every area within the allotted time to meet the rainbow-colored Holly’s Comet. There are three game modes: Story mode, which tells the tale of Holly’s Comet; Challenge mode, where players attempt to climb as high as they can; and Time Attack, where players select an area and see how fast they can climb it. Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure! is an exhilarating action game where you use rainbows to climb into the heavens.

Let’s CATCH
Publisher: SEGA
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief, Mild Suggestive Themes
Price: 1,000 Wii Points
Description: Play catch with friends in multiplayer party games and compete for high scores using your Mii character and others. Choose from six different single and multiplayer modes such as Speed Catch, which tests your ability to catch a fastball, and Bomb Catch, an elimination party game for up to four players. Select from a variety of characters or use your Mii character to play other favorite catch games. Unlock special features when you own both Let’s TAP and Let’s CATCH.

Nintendo DSiWare

Mario Calculator
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: N/A
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Mario and Luigi take a break from their normal adventures to dedicate their heroic talents to working with numbers. Mario Calculator features the full functionality of a traditional calculator, including a Memory key and the ability to display up to 13 digits, and adds a layer of atmosphere reminiscent of the original Super Mario Bros. Use the Unit Converter to turn one unit of measure into another (such as length, weight, volume, age and others), or track the history of calculations you’ve performed with ease. Listen to the Mario-related sounds and watch the coins fly as calculations are performed. Now, back to adding up those high scores…

Mario Clock
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Turn back time and enjoy a bit of classic game play based on the original Super Mario Bros. with Mario Clock. Help Mario and Luigi collect more coins than ever (POW block anyone?) while they run through a variety of stages. Gather enough coins and you’ll be treated to another scene bound to bring back fond memories for many. Mario Clock includes both analog and digital clocks that use the system’s internal clock or allow you to offset the time however you like. Program up to three alarms (with snooze functionality for those that need it) and assign them a Mario-related sound or use one created in the Nintendo DSi Sound application. You’ll find yourself thinking “Just a few more coins…” in no time!

Virtual Console

Space Harrier
Original platform: Virtual Console Arcade
Publisher: SEGA
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Animated Violence
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: “Welcome to the Fantasy Zone. Get ready!” This is the greeting given to you as you start Space Harrier, but you don’t have much time to take this advice. Even as the words are being spoken, your Harrier warrior is already charging into battle. Toting a huge laser gun under his arm, the Space Harrier can either run along the checkerboard ground or freely fly through the sky. Either way, he’s always heading forward into the hostile 3-D world. As you progress, hordes of strange creatures and robots fly toward you. Fast reflexes are required to dodge their incoming fire. Environmental hazards can be a problem, too. Take care not to run into any trees or stone structures. If you need a bit of a morale boost, just defeat a boss, and the narrator will remind you that “you’re doing great!”

Read [Nintendo Life]

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Section: Gaming News, Features, Lists

Haven’t caught all of the Gamertell news this week?? Here’s your chance to catch up on this week’s top 10 articles!

• Gamertell Review: Class of Heroes for PSP
  ” Title: Class of Heroes Price: $39.99 System(s): PSP Release Date: June 6, 2009 Publisher (Developer): Atlus (Zerodiv) ESRB Rating: “Teen” for Alcohol Reference, Mild Fantasy Violence, Mild Language and Mild Suggestive Themes MORE ?
• PlayStation Store Update: E3 2009 wrap up, more downloadable music (June 8 to June 13, 2009)
  “This week’s PlayStation Store is featuring the game Trash Panic by Sony Computer Entertainment America. It’s an eco-friendly puzzle available for download for $4.99 that pits up to two players against the clock…” MORE ?
• Gamertell Review: Space Ace for iPhone, iPod Touch
  ” Title: Space Ace Price: $4.99 System(s): iPhone, iPod Touch Release Date: April 26, 2009 Publisher (Developer): Dragon’s Lair LLC ESRB Rating: “Everyone” for animated violence Pros: The same game…” MORE ?
• Apple App Store gaming update for the week of June 1 – June 7, 2009
  “The Apple App Store gaming update is Gamertell’s weekly look at the previous week’s Apple App Store game releases. We cover them all – good and not so good – in their respective categories with a breakdown of the great games and the free games right where you want ‘em,…” MORE ?
• Class of Heroes’ most useful races and majors for beginners
  ” I’ve had the good fortune to be playing Class of Heroes for quite a while now, and I’d like to think I’ve familiarized myself with the game. After all, I’ve never had a party completely wiped out in…” MORE ?
• Sony Home Update: The universe is expanding (again), a spy has been discovered in Xi
  “Click your heals three times and repeat after me… “There’s no place like HOME! There’s no place like HOME!” Spaces And I’m not joking, since Home opened its virtual doors it has been expanding into its own…” MORE ?
• Xbox Live going down for scheduled maintenance
  “It would be wise to make some plans outdoors on June 16, 2009, because Xbox Live won’t be around to keep you company. Starting at 12:01a.m. (PST), Xbox Live will be undergoing maintenance that could last up to 24 hours. This means…” MORE ?
• E3 2009: The flops, weaks spots and not-so-hots
  “E3 2009 was pretty successful. We saw some interesting games, a new PSP incarnation and quite a few extra peripherals. For the most part, a very productive couple of days. But, there were a few stains…” MORE ?
• E3 2009: Final Fantasy Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers in-depth hands-on impressions
  ” At the 2009 Electronics Entertainment Expo, Square Enix debuted a playable demo of the latest chapter in its Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles series titled The Crystal Bearers for Wii. Staying true to the Final Fantasy Crystal…” MORE ?
• Mike Wilson: “People seemed pretty bored” at E3 2009, working on something new
  “Before I wrote “E3 could probably use a little more GameCock,” I tried to reach former GameCock CEO Mike Wilson for comment. Since he wasn’t with SouthPeak, the company that acquired GameCock in 2008, it…” MORE ?

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Section: Gaming News, Originals, Features, Opinions, Consoles, Wii, Handhelds, DS, Conventions, E3

By now, we all know the big games of E3 2009 – New Super Mario Bros. Wii, BioShock 2, Mass Effect 2, Assassin’s Creed 2, Splinter Cell: Conviction, God of War III, and oh yeah, that game with the Beatles. But there were plenty of under-the-radar surprises at this year’s show – quality games that looked great without the benefit of the hype machine. The following are my top three picks that came right out of left field and made a major impression.

Robacalypse: Beaver Defense
Despite having a truly bizarre title (I thought it was a joke at first!) this “tower defense” strategy title for WiiWare was looking good. Like Ninjatown (DS) on steroids, the game features advanced AI, more freedom in placing your units, and a “hero robot” mechanic that allows you to choose a robotic super soldier at each level’s outset. I was able to try this one hands-on, and I was genuinely impressed with the beefed up mechanics and manic pace. It’s slated for a WiiWare release on September 30, 2009.

A Boy and His Blob
The shining star of Majesco’s booth, this Wii retro revival of the classic NES game was looking gorgeous. With a hand-painted graphical style and compelling puzzle-platforming gameplay, the game was a definite sleeper hit of the show. The guys behind the game (WayForward) also developed Contra 4 for the DS, so they definitely know what they’re doing when it comes to now-gen reboots. This one’s coming in the fall of 2009.

Prank Your Neighbor
I had zero expectations from this JoWood/Dreamcatcher point and click adventure – the company does not have the best track record with the genre. However, I was totally charmed by the “90s LucasArts” aesthetic and cheeky premise: basically, you play as a little guy who has stowed away on a cruise ship with his obnoxious neighbors. Your objective is to find new ways to combine items and environmental hazards in order to make the neighbor’s life miserable. It looked like boatloads of fun – no pun intended. You can pick up the DS version in July 2009.

Read [WayForward]

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Section: Gaming News, Features, Collecting, Lists, Previews, Consoles, PS3, Gear, Accessories, Clothing, Displays, Figures & Toys, Furniture, Gear-Other

Click your heals three times and repeat after me… “There’s no place like HOME! There’s no place like HOME!”

Spaces

And I’m not joking, since Home opened its virtual doors it has been expanding into its own little universe. Like the new upcoming space I mentioned last week for a space called BUZZ! HQ which has actually been delayed because of a few minor issues, but will open very soon once all the kinks are worked out. Until then, a new space is on its way soon for the game inFamous. No confirmed date as to when it will be available yet but, according to Sony, players will be able to explore the Empire City and play the new inFamous themed mini-game that will test players reflex and aiming skills. And I can’t wait to take that test.

Speaking of inFamous, the Cole costumes are now unlockable for Sony Home. Some gamers were given a glimpse of this upcoming Home space during E32009, check out a video a player recorded at the Sony Home booth:

Another space on its way to Sony Home will be a Ghostbusters-themed space by LOOT Gear who have already created the Studio Set Apartment available at the Real Estate store in the mall and now teasing the space as well as fun gear available to players on PlayStation Home. With a silly infomercial on YouTube and tweets on their twitter page about their upcoming “Ghostbusters” space, check it out:

No dates have been confirmed for the new Ghostbusters space but at the mall you can purchase complete Ghostbusters uniforms for $1.99 (Male and Female costumes) while you wait or you can purchase individual items for:

Stuff

Males

• Uniform top for 99 cents
• Pants for 49 cents
• Boots for 25 cents
• Ecto goggles for 49 cents
• Chemical gloves for 25 cents

Females

• Uniform top for 99 cents
• Uniform shorts for 49 cents
• Boots for 25 cents
• Ghostbusters hat for 49 cents
• Chemical gloves for 25 cents

More Street Fighter 4 outfits are now available for male avatars:

• Balrog wig, shirt, shorts, boxing gloves and boots for 99 cents each.
• Vega wig, mask, body top, pants, claw bracelets and shoes for 99 cents each.
• Sagat body top, trunks, hand wraps, foot wraps and eye patch for 99 cents each.
• M. Bison wig, suit top, suit bottom and boots for 99 cents each.

Also new at the mall furniture store, players can display their favorite works of art, posters or photos on the walls of their personal spaces with picture frames now available for $2.99. Users can their favorite pictures by uploading the images to your photo gallery playlist located on the PlayStation menu and then importing them into the frames after placing them on the wall. The sleek grayish frames are pretty neat, players can turn them horizontally or vertically or just rotate the image within the frame and either stretch, fill or crop them into place. Note you can only hang as many frames as your wall space allows for example, if you own the Harbor Studio Apartment the most you can hang is four where as if you plan wisely you can hang up to six in your chamber apartment. There are default images available for use until you upload the images you want into your photo gallery playlist. As a reminder Sony suggests using only images that are owned by you to avoid copyright issues and other legal stuff.

Xi: The Hub

Over at Xi: The Hub, correspondence between the team leader Thom and a Veilcorps operative has been discovered by volunteers and the AFK hackers. With the spy found the testers are not speaking with each other in disappointment and fear of revealing any new valuable information to Veilcorps. In an email sent by Jachal informing players that Jess has dropped another clue on her home computer, players who have read the message will find mathematical problems to solve by exploring the different worlds on Home to answer the questions. A new maze has opened in Alpha Zone 3 which is similar to the riddle maze, except now you have faster ghosts chasing you not to mention tougher questions to answer to get to the goal before the ghosts find you. The only hint I can offer here is pay attention to where the ghost is moving and when he’s not looking, run. Fast. Good luck.

Read [Playstation Blog] Site [PlayStation] Site [Loot Gear] Site [LOOT’s Twitter page]

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